Railway-switch.



PATENTED' AUG. 15, 1905'. R. H. SGHEIBBRT.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION rum) JUNE 2, 1905.

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I lnvertior a w iAttorney Witnesses v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed June 2, 1905. Serial lie-263,423.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH H. SCHEIBERT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Mid- I dletown, Butlercounty, Ohio, (post-oflice address No. 731 EastFourth street,Middletown, Ohio,) have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinRailway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to safety railwayswitches of that class employedat the juncture of a main track with a siding and provided with meanswhereby a properly-equipped through train on the main track willautomatically set the switch to through position if it should happen tohave been left set for the siding.

The present invention relates to improvements in the organization'andconstruction of switches of the above-mentioned class, the improvementsbeing designed to simplify the arrangement and render its action morecer tain and safe and also to secure a construction having specialmerits as regards substantiability and also freedom from derangements.

The present improvements will be readily understood from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a plan of aswitch exemplifying my improvements; Fig.2, a sectional plan of the switch-stand; Fig. 3, a vertical section ofthe switch-stand, and Fig. 4 an end view of one of the trip-pads shownin conjunction with the pad-actuating devicecarried by the engine or carwhich is to automatically operate the switch.

In considering the drawings I will ask that they be viewed after theordinary manner of a map, so far as the points of the compass areconcerned, this being done to facilitate the description of the variousrails, it being understood, as a matter of course, that theillustrations are merely exemplifying as regards relative situations oftracks and rails.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the south rail of the track from the east;2, the westward continuation of this rail past the switch, rails 1 and 2beinga continuous rail; 3, a north rail of the track from the east; 4,the north rail of the track to the west beyond the switch, rails ,1, 2,3, and 4 pertaining to the main track; 5, the north rail of the siding,the same beinga westward prolongation of rail 3 past the switch; 6, thesouth rail of the siding; 7, the switch-tongue of the main track,

. the same forming a juncture between rails 3 and 4, its east end beingadapted to lie against the inside of rail 3 at its juncture with rail 5,this tongue being vibratable, as usual, so as to be capable of movementinwardly away from the position just mentioned; 8, the switch-tongue ofthe siding, the same forming an eastward prolongation of siding-rail 6,the eastern end of this tongue lying against the inner face of rail 1 atits juncture with rail 2 when the point of tongue 7 is in its southwardposition, tongue 8 being vibratable so that its point may move inwardlyaway from the southern main-track rails; 9, tiebars connecting thepoints of the two tongues, as usual; 10, the usual switch-bar disposedat right angles to the track at the switch-point and connected to thepoints of the two tongues so that by longitudinal adjustment of theswitch-bar the tongues may be adjusted for either the main track or thesiding; 11, the switch-stand, disposed alongside the track at theswitch-point; 12, the usual target-staif vertically journaled in theswitch-stand; 13, an arm fast on the lower end of the target staff; 14,a link connecting arm 13 with switch- "rod 10, whereby the turning ofthe targetstaff may serve in adjusting the switchtongues; 15, a springacting comp'ressively against a collar on switch-rod l0 and serving tourge that rod northward and put the switchpoints in such position as toclose the siding and leave the main track clear; 16, an arm fast on thetarget-staff at the top of the switch-stand; 17, a hand-lever pivoted toarm 16 and occupying normally a vertical pendent position, but capableof being swung out wardly to a horizontal position so as to form aradial prolongation of arm 16; 18, a notch in the fixed top plate of theswitch-stand in position corresponding with the angular position of arm16 when the switch-tongues are adjusted to open the siding; 19, a secondsimilar notch corresponding with the angular position of arm 16 when theswitch-tongues are set to close the siding and make the main trackclear; 20, a collar secured upon the target staff near the top of theswitch; 21, a latch pivoted to this collar and having a bell-crank form,its upper member being adapted to engage either of the notches 18 and19, its lower member projecting horizontally into the tar-- get-staif,whose lower'portion is tubular; 22, a latch-rod disposed within thetubular lower portion of the target-staff, its upper end being connectedWith the horizontal member of the latch; 23, a cam disposed below thefoot of the target-stafi and adapted for sliding motion tongues, thewest end of this lever being connected with cam-rod 241; 26, apaduponthe east end of lever 25, this pad being disposed along near the southside of rail 1 and extending above the rail, the eastern end of the padprojecting angularly away from the rail; 27, a spring actingcompressively on lever 25 and serving to urge and hold the cam inposition corresponding with the lower position of latch-rod 22, theillustration showing this spring as acting between lever 25 and thesouth end of switch-rod 10; 28, a second triplever similar to lever 25and similarly connected to cam-rod 2 1, this second trip-lever, however,having its pivot to the west of the switching-point; 29, the pad of thesecond trip-lever. this pad being upon the western end of its lever; 30,the forward wheel of an advance engine or car assumed as movingwestwardly and approaching the siding, this wheel running on rail 1, and31 a striker carried by such advance engine or car in position to engagepad 26 and move it southwardly from rail 1.

By means of lever 17 the switch-tongues may obviously be adjusted so asto open or close the siding and correspondingly close or open the maintrack past the switch. In Fig.

1 the switch is set to open the siding, so that cars approaching on themain track from the east will go to the siding. In this position theswitch is locked by the latch 21 engaging the notch 18 in the head oftheswitch-stand. Under these conditions the switch is set and held forswitching purposes, no attendant at the switch-stand being necessarywhile switchingis being done. This positlon of the switch to put thesiding to the main track is the abnormal position, the normal positionbeing such that the main track will be clear past the switch, and it isto this normal position that the switch is to be set by the attendant orin case of neglect automatically by an advancing engine or car equippedwith a striker. The switchman properly attending to his duty willeventually raise hand-lever 17, whose inner end presses downwardly uponthe upper end of latch 21, thus releasing the latch from its notch 18.He then turns the lever till the latch engages notch 19, thus adjustingthe switch-tongues to clear the through main track. In doing this theswitchman really needs to do nothing more than to release the latch, forspring 15 will restore the switchtongues to normal through-lineposition, in which position it becomes again latched. The hand-levermaybe locked, by means of a padlock, in the usual manner, so as toprevent the switch being set to the siding by intermeddlers. Assume,however, thatthe switchman neglected to restore the switch tothrough-line position. In such event a properly-equipped engine or carapproaching the switch from the east causes its striker to swing pad 26outwardl y against the resistance of spring 27, the result being thatthe cam moves northward and lifts the latch-rod and releases the latch,

whereupon spring 15 at once restores the switch to through-line positionin which it automatically latches, the engine then proceeding regardlessof the siding. Similarly an engine approaching the switch on the maintrack from the west and finding the switch set to the siding will, bymeans of its striker, actuate pad 29 and automatically put the switch tothrough-line position.

It may be incidentally noted that while the switchman may and shouldrestore the switch to normal position when the siding-work is done, andwhile in case he neglects to do so an approaching properly-equippedengine will automatically throw the switch to normal position, there isstill a third method by which the switch may be restored, fora trainmanor switchman may withoutgoing to the switchstand throw the switch to thenormal position by forcing outwardly either of the trippads. This he maydo by a vigorous kick upon the pad or by means of a tool-bar insertedbetween the pad and contiguous track-rail.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as setforth,'with a main track, a siding-track, vibrating switch-tonguesadapted to connect the siding-track with the main track, a switchrod formovingthe switch-tongues, a switchstand, a staff vertically journaled inthe switch-stand and connected with the switchrod, and a springconnected with the switchrod and urging the switch-tongues tothroughline condition of the main track, of a handlever connected withsaid staff to serve in turning it and adjusting the switch-tongues, alatch for holding the lever in adjusted position, a trip-lever mountedon a vertical pivot outside the main track near the switchtongues, a paddisposed alongside a maintrack rail and adapted for horizontal movementto and from said rail and mounted upon the end of said trip-leverfarthest from the switch-tongues, a spring urging said pad toward saidmain-track rail, and connections between said trip-lever and said latchto cause the outward movement of the pad to release the latch.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, with a main track, asiding-track, vibrating switch-tongues adapted to connect thesiding-track with the main track, a switchrod for moving theswitch-tongues, a switchstand, a staff vertically journaled in theswitch-stand and connected with the switchrod, and a spring connectedwith the switchrod and urging theswitch-tongues to throughline conditionof the main track, of a handlever connected with said staff to serve inturning it and adjusting the switch-tongues,

release the latch.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, witha main track, asiding-track, vibrating switch-tongues adaptedto connect thesiding-track with the main track, a switchrod for moving theswitch-tongues, a switchstand, a staff vertically journaled in theswitchstand and connected with the switch-rod, anda spring connectedwith the switch-rod and urg ing the switch-tongues to through-linecondition of the main track, of a hand-lever connected with said staffto servein turning it and adj usting the switch-tongues, a latch forholding the lever in adjusted position, a trip-lever mounted on avertical pivot outside the main track near the switch-tongues, a paddisposed alongside a main-track rail and adapted for horizontal movementto and from said rail and mounted upon the end of said trip-leverfarthest from the switch-tongues, a spring urging said pad toward saidmain-track rail, a latch-rod mounted for vertical movement at theswitch-stand and having its upper end engaging the latch, a sliding camengaging the lower end of the latch-rod, and a cam-rod connecting saidcam with said trip-lever.

4:. The combination, substantially as set forth, with a main track, asiding-track, vibrating switch-tongues adapted to connect thesiding-track with the main track, a switch-rod for moving the switchtongues, a switchstand, a staff vertically journaled in the switch-standand connected with the switchrod, and a spring connected with theswitchrod and urging the switch-tongues to throughline condition of themain track, of a handlever connected with said staff to serve in turn--ing it and vadjusting the switch tongues, a

latch for holding the lever in adjusted position, a trip-lever mountedon avertical pivot outside the main track near the switchtougues,apaddisposed alongside the main rail and adapted for horizontal movementto and from said rail and mounted upon the end of said trip leverfarthest from the switchswitch-stand and connected with the switchrod,and a spring connected with the switchrod and urging the switch-tonguesto th roughline condition of the main track, a latch for holding thestaff in angularly-adjusted position, a hand-lever having pivotalconnection with said stafl to serve in turning the staff and having aportion adapted to engage and release said latch, a trip-lever mountedon a vertical pivot outside the main track near the switch-tongues, apad disposed alongside a main-track rail and adapted for horizontalmovement to and from said rail and mounted upon the end of saidtrip-lever farthest from the switch-tongues, a spring urging said padtoward said main-track rail, and connections between said trip-lever andsaid latch to cause the outward movement of the pad to release thelatch.

6. The combination, substantially as set forth, with a main track, asiding-track, vibrating switch-tongues adapted to connect thesiding-track with the main track, a switchrod for moving theswitch-tongues, a switchstand a staff vertically journaled in theswitchstand and connected with the switch-rod, and a spring connectedwith the switch-rod and urging the switch-tongues to through-linecondition of the main traclqa lever-carrier secured to said staff, ahand-lever pivoted to said lever-carrier, a latch-carrier secured tosaid staff, a latch pivoted to the latch-carrier and adapted to engagenotches in a portion of the switch-stand and adapted to be engaged bythe hand-lever and be thereby disengaged from a notch, a latch-rodarranged for vertical movement at the switch-stand and having its upperend connected with the latch, a trip-lever mounted on a vertical pivotoutside the main track near the switch-tongues, a pad disposed alongsidea main -track rail and adapted for horizontal movement to and from saidrail and mounted upon the end of said trip-lever farthest from theswitch-tongues, a spring urging said pad toward said maintrack rail, andconnections between said triplever and latch-rod to cause the outwardmovement of the pad to release the latch.

7. The combination, substantially as set forth, with a main track, asiding-track, vi brating switch-tongues adapted to connect thesiding-track with the main track, a switchrod for moving theswitch-tongues, a switchstand, a staff vertically journaled in theswitchstand and connected with the switch-rod. and a spring connectedwith the switch-rod and urging the switch-tongues to through-linecondition'ot' the main track, a lever-carrier secured to said staff, ahand-lever pivoted to said lever-carrier, a latch-carrier secured tosaid staff. a latch pivoted to the latch-carrier and adapted to engagenotches in a portion of the switch-stand and adapted to be engaged bythe hand-lever and be thereby disengaged from a notch, a latch-rodarranged for vertical movement at the switch-stand and having its upperend connected with the latch, a trip-lever mounted on a vertical pivotoutside the main track near the switch-tongues, a pad disposed alongsideaniain-track rail and adapted for horizontal movement to and from saidrail and mounted upon the end of said triplever farthest from theswitch-tongues, a spring urging said pad toward said main-track rail, asliding cam engaging the foot of a latchrod, and a cam-rod connectingsaid cam with said trip-lever.

8. The combination, substantially as set forth, with a main track, asiding-track, vibrating switch-tongues adapted to connect thesiding-track with the main track, a switchrod for moving theswitch-tongues. a switchstand, astafl' vertically journaled in theswitchstand and connected with the switch-rod, and a spring connectedwith the switch-rod and urging the switch-tongues to through-linecondition of the main track, of a hand-lever connected with said staffto serve in turning it and adjusting the switch-tongues, a latch forholding the lever in adjusted position, a trip-lever mounted on avertical pivot outside the main track near the switch-tongues, a paddisposed alongside the main-track rail and adapted for horizontalmovement to and from said rail and mounted upon the end of saidtrip-lever farthest from the switch-tongues, a spring urging said padtoward said maintrack rail, a second similarly-mounted and pad-providedtrip-lever but having its padprovided end projecting in the oppositedirection, and connections between both said triplevers and said latchto cause the outward movement of either pad to release the latch.

RUDOLPH H. SOHEIBERT.

Witnesses:

CHARLES METTY, JACOB M. ()HMER.

